Joe Fiorito has a great story today in The Star about a landlord (David Brown) and his super (Eric Marshall) and their battle with bed bugs, which started when Eric inspected a unit where the “walls were black and moving” with bed bugs (shudder):

David said, “We found bedbugs in two units; this one, and the one below. We renovated. We put insecticide powder down; diatomaceous earth, with a weak insecticide. Then we put in new floors; laminate, tight-fitting.” They also put new quarter-round on all the baseboards, and they sealed all the cracks; they rebuilt walls and sealed and sprayed the drywall; they put powder in all the electrical outlets; they caulked everywhere they could.

David, who has five buildings and is negotiating to buy three more, said, “I think I’ve spent $15,000 to $20,000 on bedbugs over the past five years.”

I was curious. He said, “I have a social responsibility. I don’t want a reputation as a slum landlord. I regard my tenants as my customers; some have become my friends.” I was disarmed.

David and Eric (who was a social worker before he became a super!) demonstrate that it is possible to fight bed bugs with DE + insecticide, and apparently without traditional spraying. However, it’s worth noting they did a lot more than dust a bit of powder around the room.

Getting rid of bed bugs is almost never easy.  And I would not want to encourage people to try and fight an infestation with just dust, in the absence of other extreme measures.

However, the most important messages we can glean from David Brown’s building are:

• treating bed bugs the wrong way can cost landlords more than dealing with the problem properly,
• treating bed bugs properly starts with educating yourself about bed bugs,
• tenants need to know they can report bed bugs (indeed, need to know bed bugs exist) so that treatment can occur before things get out of hand.

We know from other stories that if tenants fear they will be blamed, or fear they will have to pay for treatment, they may be reluctant to come forward.

In the end, this costs everyone — landlords, tenants, neighboring tenants — much more money and pain.

David Brown and Eric Marshall to have found ways to avoid this scenario; that Brown dealing well enough with bed bugs in his rooming houses to be able to  grow his business during the current bed bug epidemic is itself a lesson to other landlords.

Do read the rest of Joe Fiorito’s excellent story here.Similar Posts:

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The Official 2010 Olympics Newswire blogger David Eby says

News is ripping through the DTES that BC Housing may have found an effective way to control bedbug populations in SRO hotels.

The DTES is Vancouver’s bed bug-beleaguered Downtown Eastside.

And now, Eby continues,

BC Housing determined that ‘food grade diatomaceous earth, fresh water based’ within the wall cavities of SRO hotels will be a very effective method for dealing with the pesky critters.

We’ve heard about the drill-holes-in-the-wall-and-fill-them-with-DE method before, and have heard of PCOs doing this to help counteract the spread of bed bugs within the walls of buildings, from one unit to another.

It seems like a useful enough measure, but luckily, it does not seem to be the whole plan.

This BC Housing Newsletter (click for a PDF, see page 4) indicates the organization is considering and/or trying out some of the newest bed bug technologies including bed bug sniffing dogs, extreme temperatures, steam, thermal treatment (such as the sauna placed in the new RainCity development) and (this is a new one to me) smoke pellets which are said to be currently in use in the US but not yet approved by Health Canada.

As DTES resident stephanie argues in the comments, the plan is not a cure-all, and instead,

BC Housing should be getting a pest control company to treat infested buildings as a cleanout – each infested unit, plus the units above, below, and on either side, or even building-wide. *Minimum* two treatments two weeks apart. There is no substitute for a comprehensive, well-executed pest control strategy.

The other thing they should be doing is routine inspections for bedbugs – every three months to start, cutting back to every six, maybe, once it’s under control. A very large number of people don’t react to the bites, so they don’t become aware they have the bugs until the bugs become visible – and given how well bedbugs hide, if you start seeing them you have a very serious infestation on your hands. Relying on self-reporting, combined with inadequate landlord response, is what’s got a lot of buildings into this mess in the first place.

Yup. We know self-reporting is inadequate in terms of determining which units are infested.

stephanie also gives her bed bug activism credentials:

A note: the reason I can yabber about this is because I’ve been involved in DTES community responses to the bedbug crisis, and because I helped to develop my DTES co-op’s bedbug strategy. It’s worked. Because we’ve been proactive with inspections and treatment (including helping disabled members with unit prep, etc.), we haven’t had a single instance of unit-to-unit transmission in my building.

Right on, stephanie! Sounds like the rallying cry to potential members of (the as yet not existing to my knowledge) Vancouver vs. Bed Bugs.

Shout out to my fellow bed bug activists.

I got to this story via Beyond Robson.

This is the Vancouver page on the Bed Bug Registry.

This is Vancouver Coastal Health’s Guide to Bed Bug Control.Similar Posts:

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Note: since this post was written, Bedbugger has a new FAQ on Killing Bed Bugs With Steam. There are steamer recommendations and further tips on technique and safety in the Steaming FAQ, compiled by bedbugger Mangycur and nobugs.

We have long had a success stories page. And though readers often forget to write and tell us of their success, when they do, I’ve been pasting the stories in there.

Some, however, are longer and more detailed than can fit into the page. So I have decided, from here on in, to give each its own post, and to link to that from the success stories page.

Now, I give you Collette’s bed bug success story (10/2007):

First phase, the discovery:

I had been scratching my arms like crazy at night for several weeks. This started to really impair my sleep. But I never suspected anything gross, and the reason was that my husband slept through the whole thing without even as much as a scratch. So first lesson: Not everybody scratches. One very early morning, after a sleepless itchy night, which I like to call my last night of innocence, I stumbled my way to my iMac and googled: arms itching night.

I was instantly flooded with allergies-related results, I was to take an allergy test, and find out what it is my body cannot take. Had I recently changed soap? Was Zytec right for me? I knew I was not allergic, never had been allergic to anything, and thought never will be. (Second lesson: Now, I am allergic, but the details will come later).

Buried, almost hidden, within the sea of allergy sites, one result line grabbed my attention. More exactly, one word in the line : bedbugs. At least it sounded different than the rest, I clicked. I was faced with the picture of a round-shaped brown bug, not exactly ugly. There was even a Latin name for it, and a very long story about what a terrible thing they are, and how impossible it is to get rid of them, and how they can make you scratch all night long.

I shrugged. Yes, I shrugged, so comforted by my own naiveté, that I could not possibly harbor such a repulsive thing in my very cozy pricey king-size bed. I headed back to the bed, making a mental note to self: Get an appointment for an allergy test. As I was walking around the bed to occupy my rightful side, passing by my snoring open-mouthed husband, I noticed a dark spot seemingly moving on top of my white-as-snow comforter. I got closer, and there it was, doing his morning jog, the exact reproduction of the image I had just shrugged at on my iMac screen. A bedbug, and a big one. A rounded one, which means his belly was full. Full of blood. Full of yours truly’s blood. I had bedbugs. I would never be the same person again.

Second phase, a naïve and hysterical attempt to get rid of the bedbugs:

Luckily, it was a day off. I immediately woke my husband up, and announced to him that we were infested. He had no idea what we were dealing with. Neither did I, but I knew more than him. We had to clean up. We did. We lifted the king-size mattress against the wall, and started inspecting it. We immediately found them. They were hidden under the mattress seams. We cleaned that. Should we throw the mattress away? We decided we should. So we started to shop on line for new mattresses. Nothing happens in a day, so we kept sleeping on infested mattress for a few more nights. We had an exterminator come in. A nice fellow, who quoted us $2,500 to take care of the problem, with no warranty, and a lot of prep work to be done by us. We decided we would do the work alone. I read everything there is to read about the issue on the blessed internet, ordered a whole case of deadly poisons online and we started spraying around. I literally threw half of my bedroom contents in the garbage. Everything that was worth saving, but that I could live without, I sealed in to plastic bags and stored in a container located in my back yard for a period that was set to 18 months. (Based on the assumption that the bedbugs can live a little over a year without food). Overreacting? Nope. Under-reacting. They kept biting me. I searched all the rooms in the house to finally come to the conclusion that they were only in my bedroom, but some forensic evidence suggested they might have once resided in the guest room, and then migrated to greener and bloodier pastures, my warm sleeping body.

Began the era of suspicion, which guest brought that questionable gift? We started gossiping about the hygiene of everyone we knew and had been kind enough to pay us a visit in the middle of our woods. We were mean. We were desperate. And then the worse came, the karmic punishment, my daughter told on us to the neighbor. Innocently, as a perfectly legitimate response to the question: Did you have a good week end? She decided to describe my epic battle against the bugs to my closest neighbor. We were exposed. I got sympathetic displays of support, was told that New York is infested, that it is not my fault, that I am not dirty, etc.. I spent a few more evenings spraying and cleaning. I bought a mattress cover. I bought white sheets, washing them daily, to be able to spot the tiniest intruder. My husband decided to keep our prisoners alive in a Tupperware box and experiment on them various pesticides. I was not sleeping much.

Third phase: Getting smart and desperate

By then, I was almost philosophical. I was thinking I am being tested by some higher powers. Had I been a believer, I would have certainly gone far into that path. My husband, on the other hand, was simply happy the house was getting cleaned much more frequently. Have I mentioned he slept though the whole thing? Well, he did. I, was not sleeping at all. First I had adopted an anti-bug attire to go to bed: Socks, PJ pants stuck into the socks, long sleeves shirt stuck into the pants, rubber bands on the wrists, and insect-repellent spray all over the whole package. Probably the part that my husband did not really appreciate, this attire was not working for him, go figure. And then I read that bedbugs will find their way to your blood no matter what, and will not hesitate to bite your eyelids. I got the hint, and took the socks off. Bite my feet, if you want. They did. I was sleeping by periods of 10 minutes, waking up at every real or imaginary itch on my body, and immediately grabbing the flash light to catch the perp in action. My husband had KGB inspired dreams, I had no dreams at all. Why didn’t I move to a hotel or another room? Simple, they would have migrated out of my room, and I wanted them in there. Also, it had evolved into a principle. They will not drive me out of my room and my bed. I started following them at night, and establishing theories about their habits. I was now able to recognize them at their different stages of life, the egg, the nymph, the adult. I knew their hours. I knew their paths. I learnt more and more about them. They are not social, they are resilient, they scatter when threatened, and they can go dormant for months if needed. And the more I knew, the more I realized it would be very hard to exterminate them. By the way, before the bedbugs, I honestly believed every life form should be respected. Like I said, I will never be the same person again.

Then one night, I got bitten by a tiny one, a baby if you will, very energetic. That was one bite too much. I stood up in the middle of my room and started crying uncontrollably. My husband opened an eye and looked at me, he then asked me to turn off the light because it was disturbing his sleep. He was smart enough the next morning to deny any remembrance of that request, and claimed he was probably sleep-talking. Nevertheless, I moved to the living room, and ordered him to keep sleeping in the bedroom as a bait. Which he did, gladly.

Fourth phase: War and victory

And one day, I knew. I had to kill them all, in all their stages, wherever they were, whatever it took. Obviously the pesticides were not working. They were only killing me. By then I was highly allergic to the Drione powder I had purchased to allegedly melt their disgusting little bodies. I was sneezing twenty times in a row every time I moved an item in my bedroom. I had read that the diatomaceous earth I was practically sleeping in could cause cancer. (Editor’s note: see response below.) I was slowly dying, and they were in great shape. It would have to be mano a mano. The conventional way. I had to go to battle against them directly, not hidden behind a sprayer.

I made the smartest purchase of my life, I bought a dry steam cleaner. $1,500 of killing steam. This would be my weapon of choice. And I went to war. The war lasted 8 straight hours, during which I went through every inch of wood and mattress in my bedroom, with a flashlight in one hand and a steam nozzle in the other. I crawled into unbelievable spots, I moved unbelievable weights, I was super-human for a day. I made no compromise, did not skip one crevice, I followed them home. I found them, everywhere. I found their eggs, found their hiding places, sometimes in the tiniest little nail holes. And I steamed them. 310 F of burning steam. They did not have a chance. I knew that even one survivor could mean re-infestation. Then I left the room and took a shower. I had a cold beer. And I came back into my bedroom, sparkling clean, smelling like a dry-cleaner shop. And I knew they were gone. I just knew. Since then I have been sleeping like a baby. So does my husband, but he always did. They are gone.

Some will say maybe they scattered, maybe they are hiding, maybe there are eggs. I know there aren’t. They are ALL dead, I killed them one by one with my bare hands.

This is my recommendation: No pesticides. Just steam and good hard work.

Colette

—————

Editor’s note:

Thanks Collette!

I have a few comments.

First, we generally recommend professional pest control operators (PCOs) because they can often get rid of bed bugs faster and more fully than self-treatment. Pesticides are imperfect, but in many cases, necessary.

That said, steam absolutely does work. Some PCOs use it and later apply dusts or sprays. PCOs may also use steam in lieu of other treatments in sensitive cases where pesticides might pose a problem to residents. It certainly can work well for individuals who do their research and (as you note) do a lot of hard work.

We do have to keep in mind that it will not work if the steam cannot penetrate every place where bed bugs are living and laying eggs. (For example, this can be deep within a sofa, or inside the wall.) If steam alone, as per your tactics, did not work, or if readers wanted to be sure they got rid of bed bugs quickly, they might combine steam and then pesticides and/or freshwater DE (all properly applied, of course). We haven’t heard again from you, and we hope they were all killed, but in most cases, it would probably be best to have some residual pesticide or food grade DE waiting in case they pop out.

I note that you used a $1500 professional steamer. Less expensive dry steamers in the $400 range can be found in the Useful Stuff page and have been recommended by readers and PCOs. (Dry steam, we’re told, is better than the wet steam cheaper steamers put out, because that can lead to mold and mildew growth, along with its own health issues.)

Regarding diatomaceous earth: first, you should not be sleeping in it, and it should only be used in small amounts and in crevices that won’t be disturbed. Used correctly, I have read that food grade freshwater DE should be safe. If you have articles suggesting otherwise, please share them.

On the other hand, inhaling any dust, or drione, is not a good thing, and so your sneezing was a sign something was wrong.

Thanks again for sharing your story! Steam has many fans in our readers, and your story will no doubt inspire many who are willing and able to do the work.

Similar Posts:

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Natural methods that don’t work:

A new article in the UK’s FirstPost online magazine Thursday offers the usual warnings about travel and bed bugs, some data on the spread in the UK and the US, and the caveat that five-star hotels, too, can be infested.

Don’t think that booking into a five-star hotel will offer you protection. Earlier this year, a US lawyer sued a luxury hotel in London after he and his wife had been badly bitten.

And then this bit of misinformation:

A better – and cheaper – alternative is never to go anywhere without a lavender oil spray: apparently, it’s the one thing the little bastards can’t stand.

I can vouch for the fact that lavender oil sprayed on people and bedding will not keep bed bugs away. They may not like it (that’s possible), but hungry bed bugs will persist.

Better advice for travelers: watch the CBC video about bed bugs, which includes a demonstration of how to inspect a hotel room for bed bugs. It is about 10-15 minutes long and you will be glad you watched it. Read our FAQ on travel. Inspect your bed, keep your clothing sealed in XL ziplocs inside your suitcase, and inspect it after you come home too. While there may be bed bugs in the room that you miss on inspection, it’s unlikely to be one of those nightmare stories with 50 bites in a night. That kind of infestation, I have a hunch you’d see signs of, if you look.

And if you do have bed bugs at home, already, don’t waste your time spraying lavender, thyme, tea tree, or eucalyptus in the sheets, or sprinkling sweet rice or boric acid around your bedroom.

I always send people to find a good PCO who knows bed bugs.

Believe me, if there was evidence supporting a quick, easy, natural cure, we’d be all about it here. Bed bugs are so resilient, they can withstand 100 degree temperatures (for a while), survive a stint in your freezer, and even live through multiple pest control treatments, before finally succumbing. They can live, apparently, for a year without eating. They want to live, breed, and suck your blood. A little essential oil is not going to ward them off.

There is one thing lavender is good for, when you have bed bugs: it’s known to make you a bit sleepy. Dab some on your pillow, ask your doctor if it’s okay for you to pop a melatonin (natural sleep enhancer found where you buy vitamins), and it just might help with the bed bug-related insomnia.

Natural Methods that do kill bed bugs:

Non-chemical methods of treating bed bugs that can work (if done properly) are steam, thermal, and freezing. There is a FAQ on how to use steam to kill bed bugs here, and information on killing bed bugs with heat here

Another home remedy we’re told can work food grade diatomaceous earth, which is a mechanical killer, not a repellent. But that is unlikely to quickly clear up the entire problem. And it is not wise to start self-treating, since some PCOs won’t even treat you if there’s evidence you have.

Keep in mind it is probably not possible for you to kill your own bed bugs by freezing or heating your home. You may live in an area where professionals know how to and can employ this technology. The temperatures must be changed quickly, and this is why, for example, setting up space heaters in your home is not going to cut it (though you may spread bed bugs around the building, and you may start a fire!)Similar Posts:

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Oh dear, yesterday’s news round-up missed the Tampa Bay CBS news website’s article about bed bugs, which kindly directed many Tampa residents here.

Well, I wish I’d seen it yesterday, so I could have warned more of the folks from Tampa. The CBS article isas originally posted, was wrong: do NOT use the diatomaceous earth (DE) designed for pools in your home to fight bed bugs. It’s dangerous. Use food grade freshwater DE instead. See our FAQ on the subject. (CBS 10 has now updated its article to reflect the dangers of pool grade DE.)

We also have FAQs about what to do if you think you have bed bugs. Hint: the first step is not, as the article states, to treat yourself, the second is not to have a PCO apply one aerosol, as the article also states. Bed bugs are serious and you’d do well to have a Pest Control Operator who knows bed bugs come in and treat your home properly from step one. Don’t believe me? Ask people in the forums.

Florida’s been getting a lot of misinformation and lousy bed bug advice from its news media this month. In such a temperate climate, you have to take bed bugs seriously, or they’re going to have a field day this summer.

Heat. humidity plus bed bug bites = misery, trust me, even though I’m just a New Yorker.

Update 3pm EST: As mentioned in the comments below, several of us have attempted to leave comments mentioning the problems with pool grade DE on the Tampa CBS website, but these were subsequently removed. I think journalists who won’t correct their information, or even allow dissent in a space provided for comments, should be ashamed. Read the SF Chronicle article instead, for less biased information.

Update 10pm EST: My comment is up now (having apparently reappeared some time after I wrote the above), and the journalists have, in fact, corrected the article to say that Pool Grade DE should not be used due to health concerns. Had I known, as ALex points out in the comments, that pool grade DE is also less effective against bed bugs, because of the way its processed, I would have stressed that too. Nevertheless, the Tampa Bay article still contains poor advice about the recommended treatment, and what to do first–namely, call a PCO who knows how to kill bed bugs, since they don’t all know. We’re glad they linked to us and hope Florida readers will find more assistance here.

Update 4/11: Unfortunately, the Southwest Florida News-Press article “State Sees Bed Bug Invasion” includes the entire original Tampa Bay 10 article referred to above, including the advice to buy pool grade DE from the pool supply store. There’s no comment box. There’s no telling how many other Florida papers may carry this story, online or off. That’s a lot of misinformation. Interestingly, the side-box on the article announes “More from News-Press.com:” and the subsequent link “Learn about bed bugs” directs readers to Bedbugger.com, without mentioning us by name. (And clearly, what you’re reading right now is not “More From News-Press.com” at all.) Come to think of it, Tampa Bay 10 didn’t name us either. They just said “click here.” What’s with that?

Okay, let me start over:

Welcome, News-Press readers, and please look at our FAQs. Much of what was written in the article you just read was erroneous…Similar Posts:

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Riding the coattails of the San Francisco Chronicle story Sunday, lots of less thorough reports on the “mysterious” bed bug outbreaks. I love how, according to the press, some weeks it’s as if there are no bed bugs at all, and others, they’re a postmodern plague.

This from CBS 5 news in San Francisco and this ABC7 television segment from the DC metro area, are both fairly uninformative, though the ABC segment mentions how many, many people are recording their own bed bug videos and putting them on YouTube. Watch out, many of them are like watching pesticide sprays dry.

This brief article is still telling people to diagnose their bed bugs by their “musty” scent. Good luck, there, folks!

This doesn’t qualify as news, but the Rapture Ready Discussion Board members are ready to chalk up this bed bug epidemic as a sign of the End Times. Listen folks, no disrespect to anyone’s belief system, but bed bugs were all over this country until about 1939, when the Court of DDT was in session until about 1972, and they more or less stayed away 30 years or so when they were more or less wiped out and had to scrabble their way back. And that’s where we are now. Bed bugs, a problem since caveman Biblical times and before, never entirely left, they just were way under control. Now they’re way out of control.

Finally, this gem of an article is bound to worry our friend Lou Sorkin, AMNH entomologist and Bedbugger advisor. A plant pathologist at University of Missouri frequently identifies insects and plants that people send in. But he was shocked to open one box to find live bed bugs swarming around. Some college kid sent them in without making sure they were properly sealed. Imagine the fun that ensued.Similar Posts:

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This is a FAQ on diatomceous earth (DE).

Wikipedia tells us:

Diatomaceous earth, also known as DE, diatomite, diahydro, kieselguhr, kieselgur and Celite) is a naturally occurring, soft, chalk-like sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. This powder has an abrasive feel, similar to pumice powder, and is very light, due to its high porosity. The typical chemical composition of diatomaceous earth is 86% silica, 5% sodium, 3% magnesium and 2% iron.

Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used as a filtration aid, as a mild abrasive, as a mechanical insecticide, as an absorbent for liquids, as cat litter, as an activator in blood clotting studies, and as a component of dynamite. As it is also heat-resistant, it can be used as a thermal insulator.

Freshwater DE is used by many in fighting or preventing bed bugs. It is not a pesticide, but a dust made from granulated fossil shells; it kills bed bugs when they make contact with it. So a thin dusting in places where it won’t be disturbed can be helpful in killing bed bugs.

I would caution people against trying to deal with a serious infestation using just DE (or vacuuming, or contact killers such as enzyme cleaners, 90% rubbing alcohol, steam or boiling water). You may have a serious infestation even if you have not been seeing bed bugs, and a PCO experienced with bed bugs should be brought in, or other treatments such as professional Vikane gas treatment (for entire buildings) or professional thermal treatments.

We’re also told DE can take ten days to kill bed bugs once they come into contact with it.

That said, people may be able to benefit from augmenting treatment with DE, and others may use it as a preventative against new infestations.

I have cobbled together advice from several readers who posted to a “Tales of Woe” thread, where diatomaceous earth was the subject.

There are pesticide dusts, but the comments below refer only to food-grade freshwater diatomaceous earth (since those which are not food-grade and from freshwater sources are less safe). If you use DE, you need a good tool for applying it. You can buy a puffer. Some have mentioned using a paintbrush or a turkey baster, but I would recommend getting the best tool you can for applying a thin layer of dust. More is not better in the case of DE: bed bugs won’t walk through a thicker coating and so it won’t have a chance to kill them.

Also, since I recommend you work with a PCO, I suggest that you do not apply DE during the course of their treatment without consulting them. They may be using other substances that this may not work with (always a danger when you use anything of your own volition during treatment!) So ask. Also, if you are vacuuming often (as is frequently necessary during treatment–again, ask your PCO) you’ll want to reapply a thin coating when the DE is vacuumed up. It may wear out your vacuum more quickly, so be warned.

Since you should not be inhaling DE, you don’t want it somewhere it will be disturbed. Similarly, putting it on soft furnishings like mattresses and sofas seems like a dangerous idea. Did you ever sit on a dusty sofa? You do not want DE in your lungs, not even freshwater DE.

I would also say that although fresh water / food grade DE is safe if used properly, you should probably use a good respirator mask when applying any dust (such as the one recommended below), and disposable waterproof gloves when applying this or any other substance. No dust is safe if inhaled. Do not use large quantities that are likely to be kicked up and inhaled, and do not place in windowsills where a breeze might blow the dust around.

In our forums, Jim (spideyjg) contributed the following important safety warning (note: I am copying spideyjg’s entire statement below, so you do not need to leave this FAQ):

DE or any pesticide dust is for use only in areas where the living things present are ones you want to die. Cracks, crevices, wall voids etc, applied then left undisturbed.

Apply it, wearing your PPE, Personal Protective Equipment, ventilate the place when done before removing your safety gear.

See the CDC’s Occupational Health Guideline for Amorphous Silica (PDF here), or NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards on Amorphous Silica.

DE is an inhalation hazard per the CDC. It can cause silicosis. It can be quite safe when used properly but isn’t as safe as some hucksters make it out to be.

Your choice to either listen to the CDC and NIOSH who are charged with health and worker safety or some schmoe selling DE as a miracle BB treatment.

Don’t get me wrong I used DE and swear by it as an effective BB weapon but have done enough homework to realize it isn’t as benign as some portray it.

You need to protect yourself from inhaling it and NIOSH recommends a filter depending on the concentration but go for a P100 filtered respirator.

KillerQueen suggested this,

“I would use a Comfo Classic Respirator no matter what the label tells you.

I use GME-P100 cartridge part number or reference number 815182.”

Whatever respirator you get ensure it is P, N, or R100 rated for finest particulate filtration if you are using ANY pesticide dusts.

Your one set of lungs, your choice, but decide on the facts.

Good advice, thanks Jim!

This is the MSA Comfo Classic respirator Jim quotes KillerQueen in recommending (on Amazon): Respirator,Half Mask MSA 808071

This is the GME-P100 #815182 cartridge (on Amazon): Msa 815182 Gme/P100 Shortstack Combination Cartridge

The quotations from others below are, unless otherwise noted, from this thread of comments. (Since a lot else in those comments is not relevant, I won’t just send you there.)

RemedyJones asked,

I am reading mixed messages as to the safety of using DE. It had been recommended that I use fresh water DE since I have pets. Apparently it is food grade. I’ve seen comments on the web stating that it shouldn’t be breathed in or used around areas of high traffic. Others state that it is safe to sprinkle on carpet and floors that it won’t harm pets or humans. So what’s the deal?

Geoffrey Day said:

First off, I am an adviser to a business that sells DE along with other natural and organic pest control products so I am naturally biased. I also use DE and since I haven’t had any BB problems personally, I cannot speak first hand on that matter.

Dirtworks started selling organic fertilizers and learned from farmers that this DE stuff was really something. It is routinely used to quell mite outbreaks in chickens. Lots of farmers swear by this stuff.

I am not a PCO nor an entomologist and perhaps we should have them weigh in here to get their official words on DE.

Fresh water / food grade DE is an ingredient in most pest control powders including numerous best selling flea powders.

At the Dirtworks shop John has a dog named Angel. Angel is routinely treated with DE when necessary, both internally and externally. Angel is doing great! We should all have such an Angel.

If you are concerned about breathing the dust, then avoid breathing it by using the best dust mask you can find. [editor's note: Bedbugger strongly suggests you use a respirator mask, not a dust mask, to apply DE. Please see spideyjg's comments above.]

… What you want to do with DE is apply a light film. What I mean by that is a VERY LIGHT film.

If you are applying it in a way that you are kicking up visible dust, you are putting WAY too much down.

Wally Tharp (the inventor of the DE manufacturing process) routinely would illustrate the safety of this product by mixing a tablespoon of it in a glass of water and then drinking the water. Wally today is in his 80’s and going strong.   (Editor’s note added 3/2008:  In response to a reader’s question below, I want to make it absolutely clear that Bedbugger does NOT recommend that you experiment with this.)

Reader Bugalina recommends the use of a small hand bellows to apply DE. (We can edit this when she tells us where she got it.)

Perma-guard, who make food grade freshwater DE, discuss applications of DE in various household settings. They do not list bed bugs, but we are told this product works on bed bugs. (Remember, bed bugs have only become a big problem very recently, and everyone has to catch up with that.)

John Meshna, the owner of Dirtworks, a company that sells (among other things) fresh water DE (fossil shell flour) and also a D-20 which is DE plus pyrethroid insecticides, says

Diatomaceous Earth … is a dust and if you have a low tolorance for dust, you can wear a dust mask or get some one else to apply it. [editor's note: Bedbugger strongly suggests you use a respirator mask, not a dust mask, to apply DE. Please see spideyjg's comments above.]I’ve used both the D-20 with pyrethrin and the fossil shell four and it works great to kill fleas, ticks, silver fish and all soft bodied bugs. fortunately i’ve never had to suffer the ravages of bed bugs but, if I did, I would not hesitate to use it everywhere in my house. Why not? I’ve done it already for other pests.

Professional pest control companies make lots of money selling their toxic products and they don’t like products like DE that anyone can apply and work forever, so long as they are down. Even they will tell you that no matter what they do, the bugs might return. DE last forever. It’s a mineral and doesn’t gas off or biodegrade over time.

It does have to come in physical contact with the bugs, so, if there any advantage to the synthetic chemicals is that they can kill by inhalation alone, but this is also what makes them so toxic to us and other warm blooded animals.

I could say more but, check out the Perma-guard web site and mine at dirtworks.net if you need more information.

Nobugsonme said:

John, I believe food grade DE is safe if used properly, though sometimes we hear from people who are clearly over-using it or putting it places they will be breathing. Everyone reading this should realize that you must educate yourself if you apply any products–whether it’s food grade DE or a pesticide.

No matter what you use, I also caution anyone against trying to fight an infestation of bed bugs with just food grade DE (or any other product in isolation, for that matter). Please see a qualified PCO–one with bed bug experience.

The other side of that is that you need to make sure your PCO knows what you’re using (whether it’s Kleen Free or DE or something stronger). Some applications you might do could work against something they might do, and you would have no idea unless you discuss it with them.

PCO Sean referred us to his brief post on DE at the Bed Bug Resource which reminds us that we should call a PCO who is experienced with bed bugs right away (though I’m not a PCO, I tend to agree). Sean warns against the dangers of DE if incorrectly applied, though I think this is even more a problem with non-food grade, non-freshwater DE.

It is worth noting that some PCOs will NOT treat you if you have self-treated. They may refuse to do the work if you have put DE or other substances down before they come in.

As always, Your Mileage May Vary. If you want to use any technique or tool in your bed bug war, research it, find knowledgeable and preferably unbiased advice, and make sure you are cautious. More than anything else, remember how hardy and resilient bed bugs can be. Don’t try one tactic, try every one you can, provided they work together. And I seriously think a PCO can help you figure that out, as talking to others here can.

But don’t do something because someone told you it would work or “be enough.” I think it might figure in many treatment plans, but especially be useful to people who don’t yet have bites or any signs of bed bugs (but know they were exposed to them), or those who’ve gotten rid of bed bugs (and would like some insurance). For those with active infestations, the DE with pyrethroids might be the most useful, alongside other treatments. Remember, ask your PCO.

Application

I have not used one, but some readers have used a bellows duster like this one, to apply DE or other dusts. There is doubtless a trick to using it, and it might take practice, but a tool such as this might be useful to those who wish to use DE. (Other methods suggested include using a blusher brush — obviously, one used strictly for this purpose — to apply it, or using the kind of plastic container that dispenses mustard to squirt or dab it. In any case, apply DE lightly and as deeply as possible to cracks and places it won’t be disturbed or kicked up, touched or breathed, by you or anyone else.

Share your DE stories and ask questions about DE, in the comments below.

Buy Diatomaceous Earth 2.5 pounds (DE) at Amazon.com:

Full Disclosure: Bedbugger has an affiliate advertising relationship with Amazon. If you purchase via the links to Amazon.com above, a small percentage of your purchase goes to support Bedbugger, at no additional cost to you.

Update (5/2009):

A new post on New York vs. Bed Bugs today examines the following study:

Journal of Medical Entomology 46(3):572-579. 2009
doi: 10.1603/033.046.0323
Addition of Alarm Pheromone Components Improves the Effectiveness of Desiccant Dusts Against Cimex lectularius

Joshua B. Benoit, Seth A. Phillips, Travis J. Croxall, Brady S. Christensen, Jay A. Yoder, and David L. Denlinger.

This article notes that

The efficacy of diatomaceous earth seems to depend somewhat on the formulation; sometimes it works and sometimes it does not (Allan and Patrican 1994). Resistance also seems to be an issue with diatomaceous earth (Korunic and Ormesher 2000, Rigaux et al. 2001). Previous studies concluded that Dri-die seems to be superior to diatomaceous earths (Allan and Patrican 1994, Appel et al. 1999), and that is what we observed in this study during short-term exposure. Two key points that may alter the effectiveness of Dri-die and DE are the duration of bed bug exposure and the residual effects. Indeed, future studies are needed to test these two aspects for C. lectularius.

Like Renee,

The only thing I did know was, sometimes it works, sometimes it does not, clearly, but I thought the problem was with application and the difficulty of ensuring exposure, not resistance. Resistance never crossed my mind. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve heard “bed bugs cannot develop resistance to DE” more than once.

It is important to take note of this, and consider that it may account for why DE does not always work for people (even if they apply it properly, even if bed bugs walk over it, even if they allow sufficient time).

I am re-opening comments on this FAQ, due to this additional information.
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Update 1/2009: the post below was written in 11/2006.  We know a lot more now than we did then about non-pesticide treatments for bed bugs. Non-pesticide treatment options are increasing in many locations, and may include thermal treatment and fumigation with a gas such as sulfuryl fluoride (Vikane TM); though costly, if done properly, they can be successful in one treatment.

A good dry vapor steamer teamed with diatomaceous earth (both used properly and cautiously), and maybe a bit of pesticide (used properly), can also be a good combination, though it can be labor-intensive and slow.  However, pesticides can also be a slow option. 

The bottom line is you do not necessarily have to use pesticides, but you do have to be thorough and aggressive.  Bed bugs are very difficult to get rid of no matter what methods you use.  If you insist on doing it without a professional, please do extensive research first.

—-
Can you fight bed bugs without pesticides?

I am as wary of pesticides as the next person. I am sensitive to them, and a recent neck-to-toe 12-hour application of Elimite (permethrin) for the treatment of what my doctor thought was scabies (it was bed bugs), made me ill.

But I am even more worried that some people think they can avoid “chemicals” in fighting bed bugs. Brent Herbert, who posted an article on the Indymedia website, recommends “isolating the bed” (with instructions similar to those many of you use, and which you can find in our FAQs), and he includes some insecticide in the bowls the legs of the bed stand in.

Yet whether or not anyone was actually going to use any pesticide to treat his bed bugs (they haven’t yet) seems to be irrelevant to Herbert. He talked to the landlord about the exterminator coming as a hypothetical (if, not when).   Herbert seems to be entirely missing the point. He recognizes that bedbugs cause psychological torment, but not that that will be multiplied exponentially as their numbers do the same.

The first commenter on this post praised the suggestion of isolating the bed as a bed bug cure as an “eco-conscious, resourceful, and affordable” response.

I really think people miss the point that the massive amount of pesticides that will eventually be used when this untreated infestation is eventually out of control and requires constant re-spraying (and, in addition, spreads to many neighbors) will be much worse for the environment than some careful, concentrated treatment by a licensed pest control operator. They’ll also, incidentally, cost more and take much longer. You can’t cut corners here. These bugs are like no other household pest.

I am as eco-conscious as anyone. But spreading bed bugs causes more damage to the environment– both in pesticides being used, and also consumption of plastic bags and tossing out of furniture–both practices which are wasteful of resources and which multiply as the bugs spread to new homes.

If you care for the earth and its inhabitants, nip your problem in the bud as efficiently as you can. Get professional help. Back it up by doing your own research, isolating your bed, “Whatever gets you through the night–” absolutely.

But don’t think you can isolate your bed, or spray a little sweet rice or lavender or murphy’s oil soap around (as others recommend) and skip the extermination entirely. You’re likely to need professionals to spray 3 or more times, by most accounts. But that is vastly preferable to everyone in your vicinity treating them month after month (which can happen when things get bad).

Get cracking, Brent Herbert, or you’ll spread them to everyone else, which makes their elimination from your home and theirs nearly impossible, not to mention costly, harmful to the environment, and soul-destroying.   I am not trying to give you a hard time. But I’ve heard a lot of stories in the last few months, which have convinced me this is a pest problem nothing like cockroaches, mice, rats, or any other household vermin.   It’s not even akin to scabies or lice, or an STD.   Bed bugs are much harder to eradicate than any of these.

I know a lot of “bed bug information” sites on the net are run by pest control companies. This one isn’t. We at Bedbugger know what we know from learning the hard way: one bite at a time.Similar Posts:

None Found

There are three different theories as far as what to do about your bed.

1. Protecting your bed from bed bugs

This means you make sure bed bugs are not harboring in the bed frame, headboard, etc., and that you encase mattresses and box springs in high quality bed bug-proof encasements.

Bed bugs can crawl onto the bed and bite you, but you are taking steps to ensure they do not live there. If they cross poison on the way to you, any meal will hopefully be their last. You may use Climbup ® Interceptors to catch any bed bugs climbing onto or off of the bed.

2. Isolating the Bed

Here, you are trying to get bed bugs out of your bed, and keep them out.

Isolating the bed is very controversial, and though it may help people who are being bitten very badly or who have serious allergic reactions or distress may to try and avoid being bitten by bed bugs while in bed, it also may actually mean you are fighting bed bugs longer. This is so because bed bugs may spread further around your home (they will still bite you outside of the bed).

The theory is that bed bugs will still try to get to you, but they should be trapped on the way, and you should be able to avoid bed bug bites.

In a few cases, however, bed bugs have been seen dropping down from the ceiling to bite people in “isolated” beds. It seems to be a rare occurrence, but can happen. More often, beds not thoroughly isolated have allowed people to continue to be bitten by bed bugs. If you’re going to isolate, you must be meticulous and thorough.

And remember, if bed bugs cannot bite at night, they will bite during the daytime, as you sit in chairs or go about your day. For this reason, many would recommend instead that you simply “protect” the bed, but do not isolate it.

Many people prefer to “protect” rather than “isolate” the bed because having bed bugs biting you in bed, or finding evidence they were there (cast skins, blood spots, etc.) is a sure sign you still have bed bugs and require further treatment. If you “isolate” and don’t react to bites you get during the day, it may be harder to verify bed bugs’ continued presence. Isolating may also mean bed bugs spread further around your home, since they may have trouble reaching you in the bed, where they used to feed. Protecting the bed instead, and using Climbup ® Interceptors as a tool for catching bed bugs as the wander onto or off of the bed legs, may be a better option for most people, and would be my preference.

3. Do not encase

We are aware of one highly regarded bed bug expert who does not recommend encasing mattresses or box springs. British PCO David Cain of Bed Bugs Ltd., well known to forum users, does not recommend encasements. It should be noted that David has a very hands-on approach to removing bed bugs from homes, and claims to take a long time inspecting and removing bed bugs. If your pest control operator uses such methods, and tells you not to encase the mattress or box spring, by all means, do not do so.

Most pest professionals we’re aware of do recommend encasements, and so, in general, Bedbugger does too. We also feel that a carefully-encased mattress (with encasement sealed and kept free of tears) may help many people to eliminate bed bugs in the rest of the home sooner, avoid bed bug bites, and save or protect an expensive mattress.

Note on products mentioned:

You can buy Climbup ® Interceptors from NorthShore Care, using the coupon code in the ad below for free shipping. You can also get them from Amazon.com (Climbup Insect Interceptor Bed Bug Trap, 12ct), or from many of your friendly, local pest control operators, including Standard Pest in New York City.

For mattress and box spring encasements, see our Encasements page. All other items below are available widely. You can also see or purchase them on Bedbugger’s Useful Stuff page.

What to do

Both protecting and isolating the bed require you to eliminate bed bugs from the mattress, box springs, headboard and bed frame, and then encase the mattress and box springs. So let’s start there.

Important:

The advice below assumes your home will be professionally treated by a Pest Control Operator who has experience with bed bugs. Protecting or isolating your bed, on their own, will not get rid of bed bugs. However, a PCO will tell you that you need to sleep in your normal spot in order to get rid of bed bugs, and protecting or isolating the bed will likely work well with the PCO’s treatment plan, which will likely include laying down residual pesticides that bed bugs will cross while trying to get to you.

You should wait to carefully clean your mattress, frame, bed, and home until a Pest Control Operator has verified you have bed bugs. Some have cleaned away evidence and been refused treatment by professionals or landlords.

Also, once bed bugs are verified to be present by those who need to see them, you should wait to encase your mattress until the Pest Control Operator has treated your home, because most PCOs can treat areas of the mattress (side, seams) and box springs as well as the bed frame / headboard with certain pesticides which are labeled for this purpose. Doing so and then thoroughly drying and sealing the mattress and box springs in encasements is best.

For protecting the bed or isolating the bed, everyone will need:

1. A zippered mattress encasement that has been tested to keep bed bugs in (or out), and that completely encloses your mattress (and box springs, if you insist on keeping them), the best you can afford. They are not all the same. Vinyl and cloth encasements are sold by a wide variety of suppliers, but few have actually been tested to keep bed bugs out (or in).

I would recommend Protect-A-Bed AllerZip encasements. They have been tested to keep bed bugs within the mattress even if the zipper is opened slightly — which gives you some insurance against accidents. Mattress Safe and National Allergy Elegance encasements also did well in Rick Cooper’s tests. Click here to read about encasements and to purchase them.

2. New pillows

3. Pillow encasements; buy with mattress encasements from same source. As for mattress encasements, they should be designed and tested specifically to keep bed bugs out (or in).

4. White sheets and pillow cases, cotton blanket (if you need to replace a comforter or other blanket). Cotton sheets and a cotton blanket are easy to wash and dry. (Comforters may harbor bed bugs even after a long stint in the dryer, and non-cotton blankets do not hold up well to dryer heat.) White color is not mandatory but may help you spot stains; I’d avoid small patterns for this reason also.

One blanket option would be this cotton blanket from National Allergy which is reasonably priced and holds up well to lots of time in a hot dryer (follow the link for a discount of 7% on orders up to $174.99 or 10% on orders over $175).

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If you want to “isolate” the bed, read the following items 5-13.

If you only want to “protect” the bed, skip down to “Steps for Everyone” under the next dotted line below.

5. Bed risers — they raise the bed, to help keep sheets and blankets off the floor, a must if you are trying to “isolate the bed.” They can be found at Bed, Bath and Beyond (or Bed Bugs and Beyond, as Bedbugger Bugzinthehood termed it, long before a company providing Vikane treatments appeared with the same name) or (like the other items below) on Bedbugger’s Useful Stuff page.

In 2009, the Climbup ® Interceptor passive bed bug monitor became available. You can read about them here. This product replaces and is, in my mind, preferable to the use of items 6-8 below. If you obtain Climbup Interceptors, you can skip the mineral or tea tree oil, vaseline, and bowls. You may still want to use bed risers, to help keep bed linens off the floor, but make sure they fit inside the Climbup well.

Climbup ® Interceptors — one per bed leg. These will catch any bed bugs climbing onto or off of the bed, and are vastly preferable to items 6-8 because they catch samples, rather than deterring bed bugs.

If these are not available, you may use items 6-8:

6. Mineral oil or tea tree oil (more expensive but some people enjoy the idea that bed bugs hate it).

7. Vaseline

8. 4 bowls for holding mineral oil or tea tree oil under the legs of the bed frame. Stainless steel is the best
choice, but other sturdy unbreakable bowls will do. If your bed risers have a little reservoir, you can simply keep that filled instead.

9. Thick garbage bags (contractor bags) and XL and XXL Ziploc bags. Check the hardware dept of your favorite big box store for the contractor bags. They are usually not sold with the household trash bags. In the USA, XL / XXL Ziplocs are sold in Target stores (look near the storage section and/or the section with bags), Home Depot (near the home cleaning supplies) or here.

10. Murphy’s Oil Soap (for wooden bed frames), which is a contact killer for bed bugs and is good for cleaning wood and rendering it bed bug-free. Regular strength works fine. It is sold in ready to use spray bottles and a concentrated formula.

11. Quality duct tape: Use duct tape to ensure there are no sharp edges on a metal frame before you place an encased mattress on it.

12. You may need a new metal bed frame, if you are unable to get bed bugs out of your wooden bed.

13. Some have actually decided to discard mattresses and isolate an Aerobed upon a metal bed frame. Use duct tape to ensure there are no sharp edges on a metal frame before you place an Aerobed on it. (Please use caution with discarding items; seal them completely in plastic before moving them through or out of your home, label them carefully, and realize that if you live in a building or in a house which is attached to others, your neighbors may take them in and use them and become infested and you may be right back to square one — another reason to encase instead.)

——————————————————-

Steps for everyone:

(See “Important” note at top.)

1. Strip the bed. Put all of the dirty linens into a garbage bag and tie it off well. Some suggest using plastic cable ties. You can also knot the bag’s top in one single knot (it must be airtight; push the bag. If air can escape, you are tying it wrong). Launder your bedding as soon as you can in HOT water, and dry on HIGH HEAT until completely dry and then some. When you take it out of the dryer, put it immediately into another garbage bag and tie it off, or use an XL Ziploc.

2. Vacuum the mattress and springs really well. Especially in areas with stitching, piping, tufts and the plastic corner guards. You might want to take the corner guards off. You may also want to take the gauzy covering off of the bottom of the bed spring and vacuum inside. (Though box spring encasements are available, many people will want to discard box springs; be sure to seal in a bed-sized bag before moving through your home.) Used vacuum bags should be sealed in a ziploc and disposed of after use. If you have a bagless vacuum, empty into a ziploc and clean the bagless container right away. Otherwise, bed bugs or eggs may remain in the container/bag.

3. Put the mattress and springs into the new encasements and seal. If you use a Protect-A-Bed AllerZip encasements (with the BugLock Zip), you do not need to tape the zipper. Mattress Safe encasements also have a lock to keep the encasement closed.

If you use another encasement, you should probably tape the zipper and where the zipper closes on your encasement. This tape must not be allowed to come off; keeping it on can be very difficult. People have used Scotch Blue Painter’s tape, and National Allergy sells this along with their encasements, to be put over the zipper. Other types of very adhesive tape may work better, but none are foolproof.

4. Vacuum your bed frame. If you have a metal frame, put DE down in the legs and cover over all of the holes and spaces with duct tape.

Wooden bed frames, and fancy headboards and foot boards are very problematic and need extra considerations. These are addressed in another area of this FAQ.

5. Move the bedframe away from the wall.

6. Vacuum under and around the bed frame very thoroughly.

7. Put the mattress set back on the frame, very carefully, so you don’t rip the covers. (See comments above about duct tape; this can be used to reinforce corners.)

(Note: even though they are not necessary for protecting the bed, you may want to use Climbup ® Interceptor passive bed bug monitors under each bed leg in order to detect bed bugs climbing onto or off of the bed.
——————————————————-

The following steps are only for those “isolating” the bed. If you are only “protecting” the bed, skip to step 12.

8. If using Climbup ® Interceptors (preferred method; see above): Put bed legs (or bed legs on risers) inside Climbup Interceptors — one per bed leg. These will catch any bed bugs climbing onto or off of the bed, and are preferable to items 6-8 because they catch samples, rather than deterring bed bugs.

If Climbup ® Interceptors are not available to you, put the bed on the risers, and put mineral oil (or tea tree oil) in the depression in the castors are resting in. If your bed is already high off the floor, or if the bed risers have no wells to put the oil in, put the legs in bowls of mineral oil.

Note: some people have traditionally recommended placing a row of vaseline and a separate row of double sided tape around the bed legs, above the mineral oil cups. I am not sure of the value of this if you are using cups of mineral or tea tree oil. People tell us double sided tape does not often catch bed bugs. However, if you are using Climbup ® Interceptors as recommended, do not place vaseline or double sided tape on the bed legs. You want bed bugs to walk into the Climbup discs and be trapped; you do not want them to be deterred by barriers.

9. Vacuum again, to hopefully pick up any strays that fell or crawled off of the mattress and box springs in the process.

10. Remember not to let your sheets and blankets drag on the floor while you sleep. Realize also that you may carry bed bugs into the bed, for example, by simply sitting on a chair where a bed bug was able to crawl onto your clothing. If you isolate the bed, try to hop in bed clean and wearing clothing which was itself isolated and kept in sealed plastic bags.

——————————————————-

Everyone should:

11. Break out the new pillows and put encasements on them. See step #3 above and duct taping the zippers if necessary.

12. Put on clean white linens (so you can see blood or other stains more easily).

Change and launder them (and blanket, if used), preferably about every 4-7 days. Check the sheets every day for bugs, molted skins, blood spots (tiny to inch long smears), and black poppy seed-sized spots or what look like black ink spots.

If you “protected” the bed, this is evidence you still have bed bugs (helpful to know, especially if you do not react to bites). If you “isolated” the bed, this is evidence that the bugs are still in the bed.

Consider repeating the steps above of cleaning the frame and having it treated with pesticides, to ensure bed bugs are not living in the bed. And in any case, continue professional treatment approx. every two weeks until bed bug bites and all other signs are long gone.

13. Unless you are doing more cleaning immediately, take the bag out of the vacuum,and put the bag in a Ziploc bag or a securely tied garbage bag and put in an outside garbage receptacle. If you use a bagless vacuum, empty it into a bag and seal and dispose of this, and clean the bagless container. This prevents bed bugs and eggs from remaining in the container and potentially reinfesting your home.

14. Examine all of your precautions often. Encasements can get holes; try to avoid this. If it happens, promptly duct tape or replace them.

If you have a cat with claws, ensure the cat cannot make contact with the encasement (or even the encasement covered in bed linens). Keep the cat away from the bed if at all possible.

15. Optional steps:

AeroBed

Some Bedbuggers have used an AeroBed or air mattress, with or without a new cheap metal frame. You can’t encase the raised AeroBeds, so you will probably want to isolate the bed (per our FAQs) with bed risers and a cheap metal frame (see below). Remember to make sure there are no sharp edges on the frame (wrap with some duct tape if there are).

Wood Bed Frames:

If you have a wood bed frame, take it completely apart, if you can, and wash it down (every inch) with Murphy’s Oil Soap. Spray the Murphy’s on and wipe it off. Don’t just spray it on a rag and wipe. The Murphy’s will kill bed bugs on contact, if you douse them. I don’t know what a light spray will do.

Since you are cleaning, you can pay close attention to all the little cracks and crevices in the wood and joinery, looking for all of the signs listed in step #13. The Pest Control Operator may spray the bed frame all over before you reassemble it. You may also consult the PCO about a pesticide you can use all over the frame if s/he will not do it. Take precautions and use pesticides only as labeled.

Captain’s beds (with drawers underneath a wooden platform) can be a bed bug nightmare. Consider destroying and carefully removing them. Otherwise, every piece will need to be disassembled, cleaned and sprayed with pesticide (by a PCO). A PCO who knows bed bugs will be able to advise about which items you should discard and which can be treated successfully.

Upholstered Headboards and Footboards:

Any upholstery is very difficult to treat successfully. Others may have different answers, but I would say to remove them from your frame, and vacuum and have the PCO treat them (or cautiously spray them with an upholstery safe insecticide). Let it dry completely, then seal the item in plastic wrap (ie. heavy painter’s tarp or shrink wrap plastic), duct tape all of the edges of the plastic and store it for a year to 18 months.

Another option that may or may not work is steaming with a very good quality steamer. A professional may do this as part of a PCO service. You may do it also. The steam may not reach deeply enough in heavily upholstered items without cooling and may only serve to drive the bugs in deeper. Some people have simply given up and tossed them out, frankly, as upholstered head- and footboards are hard to treat successfully. Again, ask the PCO whether the item can be salvaged.

——————————————————-

The FAQ on isolating the bed was originally written by Dee in Colorado, from information she compiled by asking the members of the Bedbugger Yahoo Group, a great source of support and information, in your war against bed bugs. It was edited and revised several times by Nobugsonme based on information we have since gathered about the downsides of isolating, and about products which were not available when the original FAQ was written.

Note from Nobugsonme: I have made a number of significant changes as of June 2008, including removing recommendations that people use the mechanical killer diatomaceous earth (DE) around the bed and on the floor.

I also strengthened the warning that “isolating” is controversial among bed bug experts. Many people would recommend you “protect” but do not isolate.

In June 2009, I added information on Climbup TM Interceptors, a new invention which is inexpensive and much preferable to cups of mineral or tea tree oil being placed under bed feet. I changed the directions to note that if this tool is used, people must NOT use vaseline or duct tape on bed legs, as it will prevent samples going into the monitor and being trapped.

If you choose to use DE in your home, read the DE FAQ, and ensure that your pest control operator approves of this self-treatment and where you’re doing it.

Among other things, I also changed the recommendations about mattress encasements. When this FAQ was written, few encasements were available, and few studies had been done about their effectiveness. Eighteen months later, it’s a completely different ballgame.

We have better products available now, and they can be more costly than the cheapest encasements which don’t work. But the best encasements can also be comparable in cost to ones that do not work.

If these pests are living in your bed and not crossing poison in order to bite you, you will never get rid of bed bugs. For this reason, I personally believe the quality of mattress, box spring, and pillow encasements are very, very important.

Thanks to Dee in Colorado, and all the other Bedbuggers who’ve contributed to this wonderful FAQ!

We learned everything we know by trial and error and advice from others. If you have had success with something other than what has been listed, please add it to the comments. Also, please feel free to add any other reputable sources for products.

If you need information on other aspects of your bed bug war, go back to the FAQs by clicking here. To read about or buy mattress encasements click here, and to buy DE, bed risers, metal frames, or any of the other stuff recommended above, you can click here to go to the Shop for Useful Stuff page.

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